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without honor is a two-legged beast, and not fit to be a king." |
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"I wonder if any man is fit to be a king," Ian replied slowly. "It is so large a thing. Those from the north want one thing; those from the south another; and a man raised to the customs of England thinks scorn on the customs of Wales, while those touched with the luxury of the East, those of Poitiers, condemn all of us here in England as barbarians. Yet the king must content all. And all the while he must watch those who would wrest his power and place from himbut he must not act unjustly. Is it any wonder that even a good man runs mad in the end. Hardly, even with good will, can he do what is right. If he yield gently to demands, he is called weak and scorned. If he forces order, he is called tyrant. Moreover, he is expected to spin justice out of his gut like a spider, regardless of his own humors or desires; yet he is condemned if the justice is tainted with bile or lust." |
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"What are you saying? That we should have no king?" |
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"God forbid! That way lies chaos and hell. No, but it seems to me that there should be some writing, almost like unto a marriage contract, whereby the two partieson the one hand, the barons and the people, and on the other hand, the kingwould know what is required of them. Alinor, think how little we have to quarrel about" |
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That drew a spurt of laughter from Alinor, who knew that two people in love could always find plenty of grounds for quarreling. Ian laughed briefly, too, not being such an idiot as to believe that marriage to Alinor would be all sweetness and light. He foresaw already that there would be some raging contests over the question of his departure for Ireland. That, however, would be a quarrel that grew out of tenderness and love and fear for him. Whatever the outcome of the argument itself, however angry each was at the outcome, no |
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